Modern boutique hotel Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo offers a luxurious stay different from the typically plain vanilla options you’ll find in most of Tokyo.
Stepping into Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo is like entering a whole different world from the rest of Tokyo.
Located at the edge of Tokyo’s frenetic and colourful Shinjuku district near Shinjuku Central Park, Kimpton’s flagship property in the sprawling Tokyo metropolis delivers a vastly different experience than what you might expect from more classic hospitality offerings.
The sleek, modern design-led Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo makes you feel like you’re setting foot into a boutique property in Manhattan’s flashy Lower East Side or Melbourne’s hip Brunswick neighbourhood.
Opened late 2020, it’s nearly spanking new too.
The staff too are a young cosmopolitan lot, delivering bright smiles and cheerful greetings in multiple languages – instead of the more solemn Japanese bow – as you enter. Bright and cheerful, like its Art Deco interiors with tasteful pops of colour in unexpected spaces.
On one side as you enter is The Jones, the hotel’s buzzing all-day cafe. Here’s where guests pick up their morning javas, or drop in during the evening for a local craft beer or three. The other side of the reception is an area that looks totally like a contemporary design showroom, where guest services are assisting incoming guests.
The entire lobby itself feels small. But it’s deceptive. Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo not only houses 151 guest rooms, but it is also home to modern brasserie District – complete with an outdoor terrace for alfresco dining – as well as a whole host of multi-function conference rooms and meeting spaces across four floors. One of them, The Gallery, is perfect for nuptial ceremonies; in fact, the hotel even offers end-to-end wedding services to help you plan the perfect wedding.
There are nine different room types available for guests, ranging from the small 24sqm Deluxe Twin and more standard 28-31sqm Essential King/Twin to the massive 70sqm The Shinjuku Suite.
We had the pleasure to try out one of the three Premier Suite Twin rooms. We were suitably impressed.
You’re looking at a 54sqm space dripping with modern luxury, complete with a living room featuring a full-sized couch, an adjoining bedroom with either 1 king-sized or 2 single beds, a small walk-in wardrobe for your clothes and luggage, as well as a sizeable bathroom with separate shower, bathtub and toilet facilities. There’s even a compact side table that you can work on, and another side couch, you know, just in case.
“It’s a large room,” my companion gasped. And as though to flaunt the room’s size, we find, among other luxurious in-room amenities, a yoga mat. That’s right, there’s enough floor space to use one.
We particularly liked the floor to ceiling bay windows, which offered a fabulous view of the Tokyo cityscape. And the fluffy beds. Needless to say, it was a very comfortable two-night stay.
As for amenities, Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo boasts a well-equipped 24-hour gym if you’re looking to work out in between bouts of exploring the city. Alas there’s neither a swimming pool nor a traditional onsen, but one does not come to Tokyo to lounge in bodies of water.
Its in-house restaurant on the second floor, modern brasserie District, is where you head for your hotel breakfast. District also attracts a well-heeled crowd in the evenings, keen on its Japanese-accented contemporary New York menu offerings. And for those who enjoy their nighttime tipples, Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo actually has its own speakeasy rooftop cocktail bar, 86, hidden on its upmost floor. Here you can peer out at Tokyo’s enchanting and glittering night scape while you sip on your choice of cocktail or whisky.
Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo may not be located in the most convenient part of Shinjuku, but a 10-minute walk will get you to the well-connected Shinjuku train station well enough where many shopping, dining, and nightlife options abound.
One of things that most impressed us about this Kimpton? The hotel is entirely pet-friendly. When we say entirely, we mean it. You’re not only allowed to bring your pooch into your room – without onerous rules about having to carry them in a pet-carrier around more public spaces – but they are also welcome in District, The Jones, and even 86. Heck, the hotel even offers a pet stay package which includes a reflexology treatment… for your dog.
If they’re rolling out a designer red carpet for your pet, rest assured you’ll be very well pampered at Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo.
Verdict: Atypical boutique hotel Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo offers a youthful and luxurious modern Western-style stay experience that’s decidedly different from what you’ll find around most of Tokyo. Its dog-friendly policy is a bonus for those travelling with their beloved pets.
[Photos by Joel Lim Photography]
Kimpton Tokyo Shinjuku
Address 3 Chome-4-7 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan (Google Maps link)
Tel (81) 3-6258-1111
Web www.kimptonshinjuku.com
Facebook kimptonshinjukutokyo
Instagram @kimptonshinjukutokyo
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